PARAMORE - ‘THIS IS WHY’

Writer’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

When you think about Paramore there are two perceptions that come to mind. Half the people you ask will think of one of the bands who pushed the success of emo in the mid-2000s, defining the genre and helping to get millions of people around the world into punk and alternative music. The other half will probably think of this world beating pop-rock band with genuine mainstream appeal and huge singles like ‘Hard Times’ and ‘Still Into You’. Neither is wrong but it’s clear that as Paramore have gotten older that they’re no longer the punk band we once knew and that is okay.

The release of this album’s first single, the eponymous ‘This Is Why’ seemed to divide opinion amongst Paramore fans. Many saw this as a bold step forward, carving out a fantastic new sound for them to build upon whilst the other side of the fence saw this as a weak re-entry into rock after 2017’s ‘After Laughter’ saw the band detour into 80s inspired pop. I fell on the side that the song is great and the new sound is fantastic but I get why others didn’t. The inspirations of indie rock permeated through the single and it was a far cry from the punk sounds of old.

The song’s second single, ‘The News’ felt slightly more like ‘old Paramore’ with its scratchy guitars and fast drums but it still felt fresh and new. The indie influences were still very apparent but their emo roots definitely shone through. The album’s final single, ‘C’est Comme Ça’ fell short of the mark for me. Probably the most indie out of the three released before the album and it definitely gave a lot of ammunition to those who don’t like the new sound. No matter how you felt about these tracks, it was clear that Paramore now have a new sound established and this album would be like nothing the band had released beforehand.

The album itself, 11 tracks taking aim at the state of the world and covering topics such as cabin fever, the global media and much more, is a widespread mishmash of influences reaching from the likes of modern indie gods in Foals and Bloc Party, pop icons like Taylor Swift and old school emo bands like Taking Back Sunday. It truly encapsulates what Paramore are now in 2023 whilst paying homage and respect to all of their previous five albums. Hayley’s songwriting is nothing short of spectacular, which comes as no surprise, and the excellent production on the records blends everything together so well. Songs feel huge whilst also somehow feeling minimalistic. It’s truly an unreal record.

A personal standout is the third track. ‘Running Out Of Time’ feels like the album’s most accomplished version of itself. Pop, indie, emo and rock elements all coexist beautifully whilst Hayley sings about the general apathy she deals with in her life and how that leads to feelings of losing time and desperation. It might not be my favourite on the album but this feels like the song to showcase what ’This Is Why’ is.

It’s not all perfect, the aforementioned ‘C’est Comme Ça’ is a definite low point and probably my least favourite song Paramore have ever released, it’s definitely catchy and has its moments but it feels like a major miss to me. Outside of that however, there isn’t much for me to nit-pick about this album. Is it as good as ‘After Laughter’? No, but that’s a perfect album in my eyes and my personal favourite of all time. I also don’t find it as good as ‘Brand New Eyes’ but that is the peak of accomplishment for the old punk Paramore. This album is a new thing, it stands on its own as a signifier for where Paramore are now and probably where they will continue to go and as first steps go, you don’t get much better than this.